Erin Go Bragh: Chamber celebrates St. Patrick’s Day

QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS Chamber hosts St. Patrick’s Day luncheon

BY DANIEL OFFNER

doffner@queensledger.com

The Queens Chamber of Commerce held its annual St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday, March 16, at Terrace on the Park in Flushing.

Hundreds of business and community leaders from all across the borough gathered at this year’s festivities honoring NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell and Real Estate Board of New York President/CEO James Whelan.

The annual event, held in celebration of the contributions of Irish-Americans in Queens, also included delicious corned beef and cabbage and networking opportunities.

“The influence of IrishAmerican and immigrants and their descendents on politics, industry, labor, arts and religion beginning as early as the 1700s is evident and apparent to this day,” Commissioner Sewell told the audience.

“I’d like to acknowledge and dedicate this year’s public safety award to the men and women of the NYPD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums and to all the members of the NYPD who suit up every single day to police this complicated and revered city. They are everything we can hope for and need them to be.”

Sewell, a 25-year Nassau County Police veteran, is the first woman to serve this role in the NYPD’s 176-year history. Over the years she has led hostage negotitations spearheaded initiatives to get guns and drugs off the streets and has beena member of the federal terrorism task force.

Following her presentation, she was presented with the Public Service Award from Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas Grech.

“After two years of losses for Queens residents and not being able to gather in person, it is a joy today to bring together business and community leaders to celebrate the amazing contributions that Irish immigrants and Irish-Americans have made to our business community,” Grech said.

“They have helped make Queens and New York City a thriving borough, leading the comeback from COVID-19, and ensuring Queens remains a great place to work, live, and do business. And we are grateful for the opportunity to honor Commissioner Sewell and James Whelan for their efforts in bringing our borough and city back.”

This year, the St. Patrick’s Irish American of the Year Award was presented to James Whelan, president of the Real Estate Board of New York, the city’s leading real estate trade association representing commercial, residential, and institution property owners, builders, managers, investors, brokers, sales people and other corporations.

Whelan oversees all of the board activities including advocating for effective public and industry policy, supporting the association’s 17,000 members with technical resources and educational opportunities, and connecting industry leaders with other business and community leaders to foster constructive civic partnerships and impactful results.

“Having been born and bred in Queens, and now raising my family in this wonderful borough, it’s an honor to be recognized at today’s event,” Whelan said.

“The chamber has taken on significant efforts to position the borough and city on the road to recovery coming out of this pandemic and I look forward to continuinwg to work with this organization.”

The luncheon also featured a presentation of colors by the 2nd Battalion 25th Marines, led by Color Sergeant Pillco; the National Anthem, sung by Danasia Davis; a benediction from Reverend James A. Kuroly, rector and president of the Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary; remarks by City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, NYPD Commissioner Sewell, Whelan and Queens Chamber Board Chair Thomas Santucci; and a performance by the NYPD Emerald Society Pipes & Drums band.

“Our borough’s Irish roots are strong and deep, going back centuries. As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, we honor our IrishAmerican heritage and all that our neighbors of Irish descent have contributed to the growth and success of The World’s Borough,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said.

“Thank you to the Queens Chamber of Commerce for its efforts to revitalize our small business community as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and congratulations to today’s honorees.”

Also in attendance were NYC Councilman James Gennaro, Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, New York State Senator Leroy Comrie, and New York State Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman and Assemblyman David Weprin.

Council Speaker Adrienne Adams delivers a speech on the contributions of Irish-Americans in Queens

Bagpipers with the NYPD Emerald Society perform

This year’s honoree, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell accepts the Public Service Award from Queens Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Thomas Grech.

COVER STORY SBS Provides Equity, Access and Inclusion

BY DANIEL OFFNER

doffner@queensledger.com

New York City Commissioner of Small Business Services Kevin Kim is all too familiar with the ins and outs of owning and operating a small mom-and-pop business.

Kim’s family immigrated to Sunnyside, Queens in 1975, when he was just five years old, and once situated in the community his parents opened up their own business —an artificial flower import and export company.

“My mother was an artificial flower designer and my father, would then take what she made and go door-to-door in the garment district until they built up a small business,” Kim said.

His family later moved to Bay Terrace, where he attended I.S. 25 on Francis Louis Boulevard, after which he attended Townsend Harris High School prior to its relocation to Queens College in 1995.

Kim went on to attend college at Stanford University in California, where he earned his master’s degree, and after spending some time studying abroad in Asia—both in Japan and at Beijing University in China—decided to head back to New York to earn his law degree from Columbia University.

Finding that this career path was not what it was cracked up to be, he decided to instead pursue a career in public service—going to work for his local congressman, former U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman.

“I had always been interested in public service,” Kim said. “Having worked for Ackerman, I learned so much. He was a great political mentor.”

After about three-and-a-half years as part of Ackerman’s administrative staff, he saw an opportunity to run for City Council, and in 2009, became the first KoreanAmerican to ever win a primary in New York City. Unfortunately, he would lose the general election to the later disgraced City Councilman Dan Halloran, by about 800 votes.

During the campaign, he and his wife also had a newborn child, and in 2010 they decided to move closer to her job in Manhattan. There he started a couple of entrepreneurial ventures and eventually became a member of the Community Board in Midtown.

He was later appointed Commissioner of the State Liquor Authority from 2014 to 2016 and the following year was appointed to the CUNY Board of Trustees, where he helped select the president of Queens College.

Kim went back to practicing law for a brief time before being appointed Commissioner of Small Business Services by NYC Mayor Eric Adams on Jan. 19, 2022.

“One of the things I’ve already learned is how important it is to really go out and meet the small businesses where they are,” Kim said. “I’ve already had the opportunity to go on a number of corridor walks throughout the city.”

Kim said that one of his primary goals is to have corridor walks with every member of the City Council, and in his brief tenure thus far, has already toured the business districts in Jamaica, Flushing, and Astoria.

“Every time I visit a corridor, I see everything that’s good about the city. I asl see the challenges that we’re facing with storefront vacancies, but it’s been heartwarming and inspiring to see businesses and meet business owners that have actually launched their businesses during the pandemic,” Kim said. “For example in Jamaica, Queens, we ran into a Haitian bakery owner, Le Bon Pain. They launched during the pandemic and they’re a familyowned business. They are doing well and just the courage and resiliency to open and survive the pandemic was something that reminds me of my parents in many ways. Coming to this country, speaking very little English with very little and then working through no matter what the challenges were. A lot of immigrants just don’t have a choice, right? They have families to feed and they do whatever they need to. So that kind of fighting spirit is good to see it’s still alive and well in many areas of Queens.”

Kim said that while there is no quit in Queens, he also recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for a lot of businesses.

“Families have been experiencing tragedies and I see my role as SBS Commissioner to do everything I can to help out,” Kim replied. “I wake up every morning knowing that if I work hard and I continue to adhere to the mission of SBS we can really help so many people in need.”

In the two years since the COVID-19 pandemic started, approximately 66,000 businesses in New York City have closed. This includes roughly 5,000 out of the

SBS Commissioner Kevin Kim in front of Freedom Tower, near his office at 1 Liberty Plaza

Continued on Page 19

STAFF PROFILES Community Fellow Danielle Silverman

Q: What do you look forward to in your role at Queens Chamber?

As a Queens resident, I am passionate about the community and am excited to help small businesses thrive during this challenging time.

Q: What was your previous job before this?

I worked in COVID relief as a NYS Contract Tracer for the past year.

Prior to that I worked as an event planner in New York and Washington D.C.

Q: What was the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Go in with an open mind, a positive attitude and be friendly.

Q: Name one thing you hope to accomplish in 2022.

One of my resoultions was to complete my LinkedIn profile (spent a while avoiding it) and I accomplished that in March.

In 2022, I hope for a year of growth and learning.

Q: What is the biggest take away from surviving the coronavirus pandemic?

I think as a whole we learned the importance of kindness.

Our collective struggles brought us together and taught us that a little extra warmth and love towards one another goes a long way!

Danielle Silverman is a Community Fellow with the Queens Chamber of Commerce

To always believe in yourself and feel confident in who you are.

Q: What advice would you give a candidate who might consider joining a new team?

More staff profiles on Page 21

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